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A first-person account of the cultural renaissance happening at Standing Rock.

This story is from Tony Sorci, a member of the Navajo nation, about his time spent as a protester at the Oceti Sakowin camp in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, as told to Upworthy. It has been edited for content and clarity.

Every morning at 10 o'clock, I walk into the water and say my prayers.

Some people jump into the water, wash their faces, and come right out. It's cold. But I spend a lot of time in the water because that's how I was raised — to say my prayers in the water no matter how cold it got in North Dakota.

How long will I be able to get in that water and pray, when it's still safe?

A water protector goes out to the river for a swim. Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.

I heard about Standing Rock at a tribal conference in Washington state last summer. I figured going there was my duty to my grandmother.

I'm half-Navajo and half-Italian-American, from Big Mountain Reservation, originally Black Mesa, in Arizona. My grandmother was Roberta Blackgoat, the renowned relocation resister — she never signed anything, never left the land. I've been living with her as my hero for a long time.

Native Americans usually follow their mother's side, so over the years I've become more traditional in that way. There's a direct correlation between how we treat our mother and what our children are doing to themselves.

The Colorado River in Arizona, near the Big Mountain Rez. Photo by Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images.

For me, it's really sad that we've gotten to this point.

Our grandmas are out there praying for clean water, and the government is mistreating them.

There's a psychological war going on in Standing Rock: Just across the water, a couple hundred yards away, there are DAPLs (the term water protectors use for the private security and heavy machinery crews hired by the pipeline company) armed to the gills with itchy fingers waiting for some action.

But this isn't a game. It shouldn't be fun. What are they protecting? Who are they protecting? Who are they serving?

The DAPLs are obviously put in a predicament because they do have to feed their families. Obviously, if they're going to disobey orders, they're not going to be getting paid.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.

For a lot of people, money is the driving force when it comes to the Dakota Access Pipeline.

So our goal, as protesters, is to hit their wallets with peaceful and nonviolent direct action. With each action, DAPLs will be forced to respond — which costs them money.

The organizers of the protest gather in the mornings at the the Big Camp and divide tasks, figuring out what will be the most beneficial. Many of us drink coffee around the fire in the morning with our gas masks already on, ready to go.

We aim to enact around 10 actions a day. Some people might go up to Bismarck, some stay at camp, some might protest on the bridge. My job has been canoeing on the water, trying to get the attention of the DAPLs and spreading them out a little. Then there are more covert ops, like gathering intel about where the police snipers are, or about the pipeline workers who try to disguise themselves as water protectors.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.

When I know they have nonlethal weapons, I'm not afraid.

I'm a big guy, and things don't hurt me like they hurt other people.

I grew up playing lacrosse, and the closest thing to hand-to-hand combat is getting hit in the chest with a lacrosse ball at 100 mph. So I know they're gonna ding me up a little bit, but I'm here to protect the people. While I protest, I wear turquoise. I'm Navajo and we're supposed to wear our best jewelry when we travel.

Spiritually, I'm where I need to be: saying my prayers in the water, being loving and caring, and not letting fear creep in. Because if I do that, what about the other people who are anxious? Who are they going to look up to?

A Navajo veteran, wearing his protective turquoise. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.

It's not all organized, though. There are some young kids and gung-ho guys who wanna prove themselves as protesters and show how brave they are.

Not everyone sees as clearly as others. But that's what we're trying to get to.

One day, a white guy walked up to the communications tent all ready to go with two hoodies on and a big puffy jacket. He couldn't even put his backpack on; it was hanging down to his butt, and I just had to laugh. Is he using more resources than he brought here?

Another day, we were at the base of a sacred burial mound — they call it Turtle Mountain there. There's DAPLs on one side, and water protectors on the other, and then one white guy just ran into the cold water screaming: "Come on! Everybody follow me! I'll lead you!" And no one followed him. We were all like: "No! It's cold! Stay over there!" So he went over there and shook the DAPLs' hands, and they didn't even arrest him. Then he just ... stayed on the other side.

Looking back, it was kinda funny. Protesting is kind of funny.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.

There are so many different walks of life on Earth, though.

A lot of non-Natives are really solid dudes who provide skills and are an asset to have in camp. Two kids from Seattle were staying with my camp, for example, and one was a leather worker. He actually made me a new medicine pouch, which was huge for me and a powerful thing for him to walk away from. He wasn't a pro at his skills, but he was an asset. He was there for a reason, and taking things from this in a positive manner.

I know that when he goes back to Seattle, he's just going to want to come back here to Standing Rock.

Photo by Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images.

There's a joke around camp that the longer you've been here, the harder it is to tell who's who.

When you first arrive, you can tell who's from which nation. But after a while, people start adapting, exchanging, and engaging with all the other cultures. It's really cool and powerful.

I got really close with some descendants from Hawaii who were here. One night they sang a prayer for us at our camp, a chant, and it really gave me goosebumps. When you're out in the water there, you have to use different intonations and rhythms for sound to travel, so I'd never heard something like that. I was infatuated.

I learned a lot from those new experiences in and of themselves. Stuff like this can snowball and have a positive effect for the camp, and for all of us.

Water protectors use a "home pole" to show where they came from. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

One thing we're all doing is inviting people to camp every day.  

There's always something to do, whether it's chopping wood, emptying the garbage to bring to the deposit place, keeping the camp clean, setting up or breaking down someone's tent or campsite, or even getting water. Now that the water's starting to freeze, it's always a battle trying to get it warm.

Every morning I cook for as many people as I can. Cast-iron skillets, two of 'em, packed with potatoes, eggs, onions, and spinach — just mass amounts of food for people. You're also cooking for all the new people that come to camp, so usually there's a stew on, some sort of corn, so that people can grab a bowl if they need to throughout the day.

A lot of people think they're going to lose weight by going to camp. But Indians love their food — especially fried bread. And there are a lot of fried bread makers here.

Photo by Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images.

When we leave, we smudge with sage. It cleanses the air and the people. It's purifying.

Right before a big fire hose attack, we were gearing up to leave for Bismarck that night. I didn't know what else was going down — a lot of direct actions kind of remain silent from one another — so I was by the car saging myself, like usual. We were waiting for my friend to leave, and they said, "Go ahead, and we'll leave in five or 10 minutes."

So we hit the road and figured they would follow.

A water protector holds a roll of burning sage for smudging. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

On my way out, we started seeing cop cars driving toward the camp. We turned around to try to go back and see what was going on, but it was blocked. It was hard to drive away from that. I wasn't able to drag anyone away or shield anybody or protect anybody that day. The timing of that really affected me.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.

Our fight is looking up right now. But we want to be a spark, to make this a tipping point for other pipelines to be stopped.

The story doesn't stop in North Dakota.

I don't know what's going to happen now. I can't see the future. But it's a very historic time that we're living in. We're getting this new civil rights movement with Native Americans, after we've been saddling it for so long. A new, strong network is being built. Connections are being made and new family is being found all the time.

Big Camp is basically a communication center, and a spiritual one, that we all carry with us. Now it's going to spiderweb out from there.

How fast will this ripple effect grow? I don't know. Only time will tell. But I'm trying to do everything in my power to expedite the situation.

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Modern Families

Once a refugee seeking safety in the U.S., Anita Omary is using what she learned to help others thrive.

Even in divided times, small acts of friendship help create vibrant communities where everyone feels safe.

Once a refugee seeking safety in the U.S., Anita Omary is using what she learned to help others thrive.
Pictured here: Anita Omary; her son, Osman; and Omary’s close friends
Pictured here: Anita Omary; her son, Osman; and Omary’s close friends
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In March 2023, after months of preparation and paperwork, Anita Omary arrived in the United States from her native Afghanistan to build a better life. Once she arrived in Connecticut, however, the experience was anything but easy.

“When I first arrived, everything felt so strange—the weather, the environment, the people,” Omary recalled. Omary had not only left behind her extended family and friends in Afghanistan, she left her career managing child protective cases and supporting refugee communities behind as well. Even more challenging, Anita was five months pregnant at the time, and because her husband was unable to obtain a travel visa, she found herself having to navigate a new language, a different culture, and an unfamiliar country entirely on her own.

“I went through a period of deep disappointment and depression, where I wasn’t able to do much for myself,” Omary said.

Then something incredible happened: Omary met a woman who would become her close friend, offering support that would change her experience as a refugee—and ultimately the trajectory of her entire life.

Understanding the journey

Like Anita Omary, tens of thousands of people come to the United States each year seeking safety from war, political violence, religious persecution, and other threats. Yet escaping danger, unfortunately, is only the first challenge. Once here, immigrant and refugee families must deal with the loss of displacement, while at the same time facing language barriers, adapting to a new culture, and sometimes even facing social stigma and anti-immigrant biases.

Welcoming immigrant and refugee neighbors strengthens the nation and benefits everyone—and according to Anita Omary, small, simple acts of human kindness can make the greatest difference in helping them feel safe, valued, and truly at home.

A warm welcome

Dee and Omary's son, Osman

Anita Omary was receiving prenatal checkups at a woman’s health center in West Haven when she met Dee, a nurse.

“She immediately recognized that I was new, and that I was struggling,” Omary said. “From that moment on, she became my support system.”

Dee started checking in on Omary throughout her pregnancy, both inside the clinic and out.

“She would call me and ask am I okay, am I eating, am I healthy,” Omary said. “She helped me with things I didn’t even realize I needed, like getting an air conditioner for my small, hot room.”

Soon, Dee was helping Omary apply for jobs and taking her on driving lessons every weekend. With her help, Omary landed a job, passed her road test on the first attempt, and even enrolled at the University of New Haven to pursue her master’s degree. Dee and Omary became like family. After Omary’s son, Osman, was born, Dee spent five days in the hospital at her side, bringing her halal food and brushing her hair in the same way Omary’s mother used to. When Omary’s postpartum pain became too great for her to lift Osman’s car seat, Dee accompanied her to his doctor’s appointments and carried the baby for her.

“Her support truly changed my life,” Omary said. “Her motivation, compassion, and support gave me hope. It gave me a sense of stability and confidence. I didn’t feel alone, because of her.”

More than that, the experience gave Omary a new resolve to help other people.

“That experience has deeply shaped the way I give back,” she said. “I want to be that source of encouragement and support for others that my friend was for me.”

Extending the welcome

Omary and Dee at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Vision Awards ceremony at the University of New Haven.

Omary is now flourishing. She currently works as a career development specialist as she continues her Master’s degree. She also, as a member of the Refugee Storytellers Collective, helps advocate for refugee and immigrant families by connecting them with resources—and teaches local communities how to best welcome newcomers.

“Welcoming new families today has many challenges,” Omary said. “One major barrier is access to English classes. Many newcomers, especially those who have just arrived, often put their names on long wait lists and for months there are no available spots.” For women with children, the lack of available childcare makes attending English classes, or working outside the home, especially difficult.

Omary stresses that sometimes small, everyday acts of kindness can make the biggest difference to immigrant and refugee families.

“Welcome is not about big gestures, but about small, consistent acts of care that remind you that you belong,” Omary said. Receiving a compliment on her dress or her son from a stranger in the grocery store was incredibly uplifting during her early days as a newcomer, and Omary remembers how even the smallest gestures of kindness gave her hope that she could thrive and build a new life here.

“I built my new life, but I didn’t do it alone,” Omary said. “Community and kindness were my greatest strengths.”

Are you in? Click here to join the Refugee Advocacy Lab and sign the #WeWillWelcome pledge and complete one small act of welcome in your community. Together, with small, meaningful steps, we can build communities where everyone feels safe.

This article is part of Upworthy’s “The Threads Between U.S.” series that highlights what we have in common thanks to the generous support from the Levi Strauss Foundation, whose grantmaking is committed to creating a culture of belonging.

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Wellness

Scientists discovered a fascinating trick to feeling like you slept great even if you didn't

"Placebo sleep" can be extremely powerful.

sleep, sleep tricks, sleeping techniques, science, scientific research, placebo effect, placebo
Photo credit: Canva

Tired man (left); energized man (right)

The benefits of getting a good night's sleep are too vast to name. Sleep is as essential for our brains as food and water are for our bodies. If you're not getting enough, sleeping better has been shown to elevate your mood, improve your memory, and even boost your physical health. And then there's the obvious: when you don't sleep well, you'll have less energy and generally perform worse on tasks that require any kind of effort or thought.

However, we're all human, and, sometimes, humans sleep terribly. Your infant might wake you up, or a car alarm might go off outside, interrupting your regularly-scheduled REM. It's not always our fault when we don't sleep well, but there might be an interesting way to fix it.

A study from 2014 may have demonstrated the existence of something called "placebo sleep," or tricking your brain into believing you slept better than you did.

sleep, sleep tricks, sleeping techniques, science, scientific research, placebo effect, placebo a man sitting at a desk with his head on his arms Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

The placebo effect, of course, has been studied relentlessly over the years and has shown that the human body can do amazing, almost impossible things, when the brain gets on board. The classic example is when symptoms of disease get measurably better after a patient takes a "fake" pill. Another study out of Harvard showed that people who were told their jobs qualified as exercise showed improved health and fitness markers compared to people who did the same job. Placebos even work when the person knows they're taking a placebo. It's called an "honest placebo" and is considered a legitimate, ethical treatment method for many ailments.

The researchers in 2014 wanted to find out if the placebo effect could also apply to sleep. So, they lectured a group of participants about the importance of REM sleep and how it can effect cognitive functioning. The participants were then split into two groups and monitored overnight while they slept. The next morning, one group was told they achieved 28.7% REM sleep, which is terrific, and the other group was told they only spent 16.2% of their sleep time in REM, which is below average. The numbers, however, were complete fiction.

Stunningly, the participants who believed they achieved top quality sleep performed better the next day on a series of arithmetic and word association tests compared to the other groups.

In their conclusion, the authors wrote, "These findings supported the hypothesis that mindset can influence cognitive states in both positive and negative directions, suggesting a means of controlling one's health and cognition."

According to Smithsonian Magazine, follow up experiments confirmed the findings.

The key to feeling great and performing as if you had a great night's sleep may lie in simply believing that you did.

There are a lot of ways to "placebo your sleep" in order to generate that belief. For starters, you can adopt a new routine or technique or even supplement in order to prime your brain.

John Cline Ph.D. asserts for Psychology Today that the popularity of sleeping aids like melatonin may be tied less to the fact that they work, and more to the fact that people believe they work. But you don't need to take any supplements or medications. Having a slow evening wind down with a book and an herbal tea, trying a new sleeping position, or practicing some measured breathing might work just as well. Or, rather, they might work precisely because you believe they will.

sleep, sleep tricks, sleeping techniques, science, scientific research, placebo effect, placebo Can a warm cup of tea help you sleep better? If you believe it, then yes. Photo by Dana Ciurumelea on Unsplash

You could take the concept a step further and alter your morning routine on nights you know for a fact you didn't sleep well. Perhaps it's by using a new coffee brand, doing some stretches before getting out of bed, or meditating before starting your day. Anything that you truly believe might help make you more alert and focused may just work.

One viral social media sleep trend capitalizes on this research perfectly. Researchers have shown that forcing your mouth into a smile has been shown to improve your mood. Turns out, similarly, you may be able to get sleepy by pretending to be super tired. Psychologist Erica Terblanche calls it the "alpha bridge," and it involves gently closing your eyes, fluttering them open just a tad, and then closing them again as you relax and breath. It simulates the feeling of "nodding off" and is said to create the alpha brainwaves that transition your brain from wakefulness to sleep. It's another clever way of tricking your own brain.


@erica.terblanche

Here's a skill to help you fall asleep on an airplane or anywhere else for that matter. . Its called going over the Alpha Bridge. #EricaTerblanche #ThriveGuru #motivation #sleeping

It sounds cheesy, but the power of mindset and positive thinking is truly tremendous. Our beliefs and thought patterns can greatly influence our body, our behavior, and our mood. Sometimes, our mindset can even be stronger than actual reality. Now we have the data to prove that it applies to our precious sleep, too.

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Health

Woman shares why she started filming herself sprinting in skirts. It's honestly brilliant.

The effect is both magical and motivating.

woman running, running shorts, skirt, dress, joy
Courtesy of @thearchitectureofhealth/YouTube

Running in skirts and dresses changed everything for Deb Voisin.

Activewear is a $400 billion industry, with no shortage of brands selling moisture-wicking tops, running shorts, yoga pants, and all manner of athletic clothing designed for exercise. In fact, we've become so accustomed to "workout gear" that the idea of exercising without it feels almost wrong.

Enter Deb Voisin, who not only challenges the notion that people need to run in any particular clothing, but runs herself barefoot and in skirts or dresses, like a preschooler—one with a keen understanding of biomechanics, that is.

running, sprinting, barefoot, child, joy A young girl runs on the sand. Photo credit: Canva

Voisin says she could "barely walk" due to an injury caused by overstretching, and she hadn't been able to find a healing method that worked. Not wanting surgery, she studied biomechanics and natural movement and made an interesting discovery about sprinting.

"Once I realized that a sprint is an amplified walking pattern, I knew that if I could learn how to sprint beautifully, I could walk pain-free," she shares.

To hone her form, she filmed herself sprinting on a curved treadmill. But there was a problem: she hated looking at herself.

"So I wore skirts and played dress up like a little girl," she says. "It worked!"

Watch:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Voisin tells Upworthy it worked on multiple levels.

"I started wearing skirts because they helped me stop hating looking at myself—and I realized they also make healthy movement visible," she says. "Aligned movement is wavy and alive, not rigid. Running is timeless and human, and the fabric lets you actually see that flow."

She says she always hated running, but sprinting in skirts shifted her perspective.

"Once I realized that sprinting is the ultimate expression of a naturally aligned body, I aimed high and shot past pain into ease and power I don't think I ever felt growing up," she explains. "Now I help others find their way back to that feeling."

Voisin also says the comments on her video, which has been viewed more than 4 million times, made her weep.

"I had no idea how healing it would feel to be so openly accepted for something that even people close to me didn't understand," she says. "I just knew there was beauty and healing in it."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Here are some of the viewer comments that made Voisin cry:

"Something about a running, whimsical lady in a skirt and no shoes is so magical."

"Every time a human loves herself, is a win for all the universe."

"Who noticed, the more she practices, the more she looks younger just like a little girl happy running and discovering the world that she sees as a beautiful and happy place? Beautiful lady, am glad seeing you running, run run run.."

"You literally look like you aged in reverse in the process! Amazing how healing joy can be for our bodies."

"Every single shot of you running in a skirt looks like it comes from a movie I'd love to watch."

"People forget, we often don't like doing things that are good for us, because we copy how everyone else is doing it. Make it fun for you, do it the way you want to do it. Find those joys in your life. It's your first time living."

running, sprinting, barefoot, child, joy Running with joy might require a different outfit.Photo credit: Canva

"I also just love the kick in the face to traditional 'workout' clothes. It's just more consumerism, you don't need special clothes to workout. Just use what you have!"

"I loved the reel, the fabric movement, the timelapse, the self love, the deep desire to heal, fit body at later ages… all of it made me smile at how we all creatively approach our problems."

"I've been an avid runner in my life, but haven't run much for a few years now. This brought tears to my eyes, your beauty and grace and commitment. I am inspired to run again, for the sheer joy of it!"

It's amazing what can happen when you infuse joy into physical activity. Maybe joy for you isn't running in a skirt and watching it flow in slo-mo, but something else entirely. Whatever joy looks like, leaning into it may help you reclaim the motivation you lost somewhere along the way and empower you to keep your body moving and healthy.

You can find more from Deb Voisin on her website.

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Woman shares tattoo she got a week before COVID-19 that 'aged like milk' almost immediately

It seemed like a great idea at the time.

ppe, masks, medical masks, covid, tattoo, funny, humor, pandemic, viral videos
via wakaflockafloccar / TikTok

The timing of this woman's tattoo could not have been worse.

It's amazing to consider just how quickly the world changed in early 2020. One day, we were all just casually going along, living our lives. And then the next day, everything was different. If you were to have told someone in February of 2020 that the entire country would soon go on some form of lockdown, nearly everyone would be wearing a mask, and half a million people were going to die due to a virus, no one would have believed you.

Yet, it happened. And in addition to changing the world as we know it, it also sparked a sharp political and cultural divide here in the United States.

Leah Holland got one of the most poorly-timed tattoos ever

PPE masks were the last thing on Leah Holland of Georgetown, Kentucky's, mind on March 4, 2020, when she got a tattoo inspired by the words of a close friend.

"We were just talking about things we admire about each other and he said, 'You courageously and radically refuse to wear a mask,' like meaning that I'm undeniably myself. I thought that was a really poetic way of saying that," Holland told Fox 13.

So, she had "courageously & radically refuse to wear a mask" tattooed on her left forearm.

It's a beautiful sentiment about Leah's dedication to being her true self. It's also a reminder for Holland to remain true to herself throughout her life.

However, the tattoo would take on a very different meaning just two days later, when the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Kentucky. Almost immediately, everyone in the country was advised to wear masks whenever they left the house. Some refused, citing their own personal freedom to do with their body as they wish. Holland had, completely inadvertently, taken sides in a massive culture war with some simple black ink on her forearm.


- YouTube www.youtube.com

"It basically looked like I'm totally, you know, anti-mask or whatever, which is not the case," said Holland.

Now, she was embarrassed to be seen with the tattoo for fear she'd be associated with the anti-maskers who either deny the existence of the virus or refuse to wear a mask to protect others. Either way, it's a bad look.

So Leah started wearing long-sleeve shirts and cardigan sweaters whenever in public to cover up the tattoo.

TikTok users asked each other to share their 'dumbest tattoo'



@wakaflockafloccar

#stitch with @hannanicbic I could NOT have had worse timing. #fyp #foryoupage #tattoo #worsttattoo #winner P.S. I’m not anti-mask I promise 🤦🏻‍♀️

In her video response, she talks about how her tattoo was about "not pretending to be something you're not," but then revealed it to show how — in an incredibly ironic twist — it made her out to be someone she isn't. "I just kind of wanted people to laugh with me because I think it's funny now, too," said Holland. At least the tatoo was able to spark a little levity in some dark times.

Plenty of people on TikTok laughed along with her with one user suggesting she update the tattoo with the phrase: "Hindsight is 2020." Another playfully accused her of "jinxing" the world and causing the virus outbreak. Another suggested adding an asterisk and "except during COVID" to the tattoo.

Some commenters tried to make her feel better about her poorly-timed body art. "Maybe tattoo a pair of theatre masks (one smiling, the other crying) on top, but for now, wear a hoodie," one user wrote. "Don't worry, in 15 years it will have its original meaning again!" another added.

"I was dying laughing. I'm like, I'm glad there are people that find this as funny as I think it is," said Holland.

"It will be a funny story to tell years from now," she said. "I don't think it will ever not be a funny story."

covid, masks, surgical masks, pandemic masks, friends, ppe A group of friends chatting wearing masks.via Canva/Photos


As the pandemic abated, Holland still had to explain her tattoo. The risks associated with COVID have decreased, but a fierce debate still raged over personal freedom versus responsibility to the greater good. Should you wear a mask in public when you're sick? Should you ever be required to wear a mask? How do you balance individual rights with our need to live in a cooperative society? Most won't soon forget the COVID-19 era in America, and there's no doubt that many will still feel passionate about those who refused to wear masks. Just don't lump Holland in with that group because of a poorly timed, but quite beautiful, sentiment. She'd never wear a mask, unless it were to protect herself and others from a deadly virus.

This article originally appeared four years ago.

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Education

Professor challenges Gen Z students to answer obscure history questions using only library books

The time-travel moment offered something incredibly valuable.

gen z, aaron dinan, failure, chatgpt, college, entrepreneurship, library, research, learning how to research, books
Photo credit: Canva

Remember when we didn't have infinite information at our fingertips?

Technically speaking, Duke University professor Aaron Dinin teaches entrepreneurship. But more accurately, he teaches young people to have a healthier relationship with failure, and he does this through various oddball challenges—everything from solving a 1000-piece puzzle in six minutes to trying to beat a nine-year-old at selling cookies.

In one recent video, Dinin's students were tasked with answering as many obscure questions as possible using nothing but the books in their library. Yes, just like back in the day.

After tossing their phones into a box, students were given a printed-out catalog of books to help them find the answers to questions like "When was Kentucky founded?" and "What makes Pickett's Charge important?"

Many Gen Zers admitted this was the first time they had ever looked something like this up in a book. Dinin quipped that, to them, the whole experience must have felt like "time travel." He also clearly enjoyed watching students come up exhausted, saying, "This is what research used to look like. This is why my PhD was so hard!"

And yet, the students managed. One even learned how to use an index, aka an "underrated piece of technology."

Watch:

As Dinin pointed out, anyone these days, not just Gen Zers, would almost certainly just Google this kind of information. And because of that, "being able to answer questions isn't nearly as valuable in the modern world as knowing which questions are worth chasing in the first place," which is perhaps an even bigger takeaway for students than learning how to use a library.

Down in the comments, parents and fellow teachers alike couldn't wait to try the exercise out on their own kiddos.

"This is awesome and I will be showing this to my 11 year old who was beside himself when I took away his iPad and gave him a physical dictionary to double check his ELA homework."

gen z, aaron dinan, failure, chatgpt, college, entrepreneurship, library, research, learning how to research, books A boy drawing on an iPad. Photo credit: Canva

"This is brilliant! I need to do this with my middle schoolers!"

"What a GREAT experience! It's like Escape Room, library edition!"

Others were simply grateful for the trip down memory lane.

"Thank you for sharing this! I remember to actually looking for info for any research paper in like an encyclopedia Britannica🥴😂🤫"

"Is it nerdy to say that I actually had fun researching this way back in college (even though it was laborious)?!? Gen Xer here…"

On his website, Dinin shared that he was inspired to create learning opportunities like this after spending two decades "watching brilliant students sabotage their futures because they were scared to be wrong." He knew that, in order to combat that, he'd need to design classes that "make failure survivable (and maybe even a little bit fun)," rather than "chase success."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

And this is truly a great example of that. In our fear of failure, our enmeshment with experience, and our reliance on having knowledge at our fingertips, we run the risk of forfeiting autonomy and resilience. There is always a balance to strike, but doing so requires the willpower to ignore the alluring siren song of convenience. Perhaps in this day and age, that kind of willpower is one of the most valuable skills teachers can bestow on their students.

Follow along for even more of Dinin's fun videos here.

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Animals & Wildlife

Beavers return to Scotland's Glen Affric after 400 years

Seven beavers have been released into "one of the most beautiful places in Scotland."

beavers, scotland, reintroduction, conservation, science
Photo credit: Canva, Pepetoideas

Left: A beaver swimming in a river. Right: A forested riverbank view.

Imagine standing on the edge of a loch in the Scottish Highlands. The air is crisp, and pine trees reflect off the glass-like water.

Welcome to the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve. Often called "one of the most beautiful places in Scotland," this stunning nature reserve is home to ancient Caledonian pine trees, gorgeous lochs, and magnificent hiking trails. However, for centuries, a specific sound—and species—has been missing from this landscape. On a brisk day in October 2025, that silence was finally broken by a splash.

In a moment conservationists are dubbing "wildlife history," seven beavers were released into the crystal-clear waters of Glen Affric, marking a monumental homecoming for a species that disappeared from the area four centuries ago.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), working alongside the charity Trees for Life, released a family of five and a breeding pair of beavers at two sites on Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin in the nature reserve in Invernesshire. These animals are now swimming in waters that haven't felt the paddle of beaver tails since the 16th century.

For the people of Scotland, and nature lovers around the world, this release offers a profound sense of hope. It signals that we have the power to repair what was once broken, and that nature, when given the chance, can return to its rightful glory.

The long road home

To understand the magnitude of this occasion, we have to look back at what was lost. The European beaver was once a common sight across Britain. These animals were architects of wetlands, shaping the rivers and valleys people know today. Over time, however, humans hunted them to extinction for their fur, meat, and musk oil, and they disappeared from Scotland's landscape roughly 400 years ago.

For generations, ecosystems managed without them, but their absence was felt. Rivers flowed too fast, and wetlands dried up too quickly.

The tide began to turn in 2009 with the Scottish Beaver Trial in Knapdale Forest. This marked the UK's first licensed release of a mammal into the wild, bringing European beavers back to Argyll. The trial proved to scientists that beavers could once again thrive in Scottish waters. Since then, populations have grown in the Tay and Forth catchments, with current estimates suggesting more than 1,500 beavers now call Scotland home. The release in Glen Affric marks the next exciting chapter in this recovery, expanding their range into one of the country's most iconic nature reserves.

Nature's hardworking engineers

You might wonder why there's so much commotion over what, to many, looks like a giant rodent. The answer lies in the beaver's nickname, ecosystem "engineer." These creatures possess a remarkable ability to transform their environment, benefiting nearly everything around them.

When beavers build dams, they slow the flow of water. This creates complex wetland habitats, ponds and pools that become nurseries for fish, amphibians, and insects. These wetlands act like giant sponges in the landscape. During heavy rains, they hold back water, reducing the risk of catastrophic flooding for downstream communities. During droughts, they store water, keeping rivers flowing and providing a lifeline for wildlife.

Dams, beavers, sustainability, scotland, ecosytem Dams have dramatic impacts on the surrounding ecosystem. Photo credit: Canva

Recent studies highlight the benefits of beaver reintroduction for ecosystems. Research led by the University of Stirling found that beaver dams can reduce peak water pollution levels by 95%. These dams act like the kidneys of a river system, filtering out agricultural runoff and helping keep the water clean. By bringing beavers back to Glen Affric, scientists have effectively reinstalled a natural life-support system for the entire glen.

Added bonus: a boost to local communities

The return of the beaver is good news for people, too. Across Scotland, the presence of these charismatic creatures is becoming a significant draw for visitors—and a boost to local economies. Wildlife tourism is booming, with "beaver safaris" in places like Perthshire often booked to capacity.

Dams, beavers, sustainability, scotland, ecosytem Beavers aren't just cute and charismatic.Photo credit: Canva

Estimates now suggest that a single reintroduction site could eventually inject an estimated £2 million—roughly $2.7 million—into the local economy each year. Visitors come for the chance to see a beaver gliding through the water at dusk or to spot the telltale signs of gnawed wood and dams. This interest in the environment supports local hotels, guides, and cafes, breathing new life into rural areas.

Crucially, the Glen Affric release was not a top-down decision. FLS and Trees for Life spent years engaging with local communities, listening to concerns and building a plan that works, for the most part, for everyone. This model of community consultation helps ensure holistic sustainability and that the beavers are welcomed neighbors rather than a nuisance, setting a high bar for conservation projects worldwide.

A bright vision for the future

This release is part of a larger picture. In 2022, the Scottish Government published "Scotland's Beaver Strategy 2022-2045," an ambitious roadmap endorsed by more than 45 organizations. The mission is simple but powerful: to see the beaver population actively expand across Scotland.

@stvnews Beavers have returned to the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve in the Highlands, 400 years after their extinction in Scotland. #stvnews #scotland #beavers ♬ original sound - STV News

The strategy recognizes that beavers are essential allies in tackling the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. By restoring wetlands, beavers help sequester carbon and create natural firebreaks in forests. Scotland is hoping for a future in which beavers are no longer a novelty but an integrated, widespread part of the natural world.

Navigating challenges

Of course, bringing back a species that's been gone for nearly 400 years comes with its own learning curve. In low-lying areas, beaver activity can cause localized flooding that impacts farmers on prime agricultural land.

This is where the beaver strategy shifts from pure conservation to vigilant, careful management. Mitigation comes first: tree guards protect timber, and "flow devices" are installed on dams to regulate water levels. If conflicts remain unresolved, beavers are translocated, with experts trapping and moving them to areas where they are wanted and needed, such as the family relocated to Glen Affric.

Approaches like these balance and respect the needs of land managers while acknowledging the broader benefits to biodiversity. They recognize that living alongside wildlife requires compromise and adaptation, but that the rewards are well worth the effort.

A legacy of hope

As the seven beavers settle into their new lodges in Glen Affric, scientists look forward to them building dams—and a legacy. These animals represent a meaningful shift in how we relate to the natural world, moving from a mindset of exploitation to one of restoration.

Steve Micklewright, the chief executive of Trees for Life, described the release as a "moment of wildlife history." In a world where we often hear about what we're losing, the return of the beaver after 400 years is a powerful reminder of what we can regain. It offers a tangible sign that with patience, cooperation, and a little help from our furry friends, we can heal our landscapes and leave a richer, wilder world for future generations.

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